-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When your grandmother is one of the most famous cosmetics moguls in history , it might put a little pressure on you to succeed .

But for Aerin Lauder , the 44-year-old granddaughter of Estée Lauder , who founded the eponymous make-up company , the legacy has been an inspiration rather than a burden .

Lauder worked her way up through the ranks of the billion-dollar family company for 25 years to the position of style and image director .

In 2012 , she decided to combine her passion for home décor with her knowledge of beauty , to launch her own lifestyle brand , called AERIN .

The businesswoman spoke to CNN 's Kirstie Lu Stout about her drive , the importance of saying `` no , '' and how beauty transcends borders or race .

CNN : Are you living out your dream today with your own brand , AERIN ?

Aerin Lauder : I 'm definitely living my dream . As a little girl , I 've always loved beauty and I loved home , so I 've managed to combine the two into a brand .

CNN : What is it like to live up to the heritage of Estee Lauder ?

AL : It is an amazing legacy and I think she is always looking down at me very proud . She taught me the importance of excellence ; so has my uncle , my cousin and my aunt , everyone who works at the company as a family member has really re-emphasized the importance of excellence and perfection .

CNN : You had a very international upbringing , growing up in Vienna , Austria , where your father was the U.S. ambassador , then moving to Manhattan . How did that shape who you are today ?

AL : It shaped a tremendous amount of my vision , style and taste . When we moved to Europe when I was a teenager I really did not want to go . I was happy in my school , with my friends , but looking back on it , it was the best experience I 've ever had . We traveled every weekend , I experienced incredible new cultures , museums , cities and it really opened up my eyes .

CNN : You worked your way through the ranks of Estee Lauder and managed to extend the reach of the brand to all corners of the world , partially through casting diverse models . In 2003 you hired the Ethiopian model Liya Kebede , then in 2011 , models Liu Wen and Joan Smalls from China and Puerto Rico . Why is that an important thing to do in this business ?

AL : Because beauty is global . It 's the idea that every woman can be beautiful , which is a concept Estée has which is still so modern today . It 's the idea of beauty from all over the world .

CNN : Are you a detail-oriented person ?

AL : I 'm very detail-oriented , which is good and bad . Because I will wake up in the middle of the night , thinking about something or seeing a mistake , thinking about it and I immediately send an email -- I 'm very focused on details . But I think that is really important because it is my name on that product , and I think it should be the best it can possibly be .

CNN : What has been the biggest mistake you have made in your career and how did you overcome it ?

AL : I think it is very important to learn to say `` no . '' I think it is sometimes important for brands or the creative director to learn to say `` this might be on trend but it is not right for us . '' I launched products and campaigns which I thought might bring in new consumers but in reality would make the existing Estée Lauder one maybe discouraged .

CNN : In your business schedule you are balancing work and family . How do you find time and get inspired ?

AL : I think you can get inspiration from anything . It can be a walk on the beach , it can be a moment with your children , and also the Internet has been a wonderful source for inspiration . You can Google it , search it , look at the beaches for the sensibility of there and feels like you are there . I think the Internet is a great way to get inspiration .

CNN : Is luxury attainable ?

AL : Luxury is definitely attainable . I think it could be anything from a beautiful little gold bowl on your desk , to a very glamorous chandelier , and everything in between .

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Meet Aerin Lauder , glamorous granddaughter of make-up mogul Estee Lauder

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In 2012 , she stared her own lifestyle brand , AERIN

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Credited with casting ethnically diverse models for Estee Lauder campaigns